Mother of AAP legislator who defeated Punjab Chief Minister will ‘continue to work as sweeper’

"Jhadu (broom) is a key part of my daily life. I can't think of living away from it. Whatever the position of my son, I will continue to work as a sweeper in our school."

Those words came spontaneously from Baldev Kaur, mother of Aam Admi Party legislator Labh Singh Ugoke, who seems unmindful of the fact that her son pulled off the giant-killing act of defeating outgoing Punjab state Chief Minister Charanjit Singh Channi of Congress from Bhadaur seat with a margin of 37,550 votes in the assembly elections.

Arvind Kejriwal-led AAP scored a landslide victory in the Punjab polls, winning 92 Assembly seats, pushing most of its well-entrenched rivals to the margins. Congress, which ruled the state, managed just 18 seats in the 117-member Punjab assembly.

The AAP wave was so strong in Punjab this time that not only Channi but two other former chief ministers Parkash Singh Badal of Shiromani Akali Dal and Amarinder Singh formerly of Congress also bit the dust at the recent hustings.

But the family of Labh Singh appears untouched by the stupendous electoral performance of the son, our New Delhi correspondent reports.

"We have always worked hard to earn money. Irrespective of my son's position, I will continue to perform my duty in the school," said Kaur adding, "that is because 'jhadu' (the election symbol of AAP) is an important part of my life," said Baldev Kaur.

"Labh Singh's mother has been working as a sweeper in this school for a long time now. Baldev Kaur says she wants to continue working in the school," said the school Principal Amrit Pal Kaur.

Labh Singh's father, Darshan Singh, who used to work as a labourer, said there would be no change in the family's lifestyle as he wanted his son, who works in a mobile repair shop, to focus on the welfare of the constituency instead of the family.

"People of the village elected him. We want him to work for the welfare of the people. We will continue to live the way we used to earlier," said Darshan Singh.

Labh Singh joined AAP in 2013 and rose in the ranks of the party quickly but could not get party ticket in the assembly elections in 2017.